The exact dates of Han Shan are unknown. Somewhere between 630 and 830 CE. He was a poet and a Chinese sage who mixed Ch’an (Zen) and Taoism, as many did at the time. His name means Cold Mountain.

In addition to poetry, Han Shan apparently wrote some commentaries on Buddhist sutras. This is from A Straight Talk on the Heart Sutra. While it is a bit mystical and preachy, Han Shan nonetheless captures the essence of Prajna.

This passage discuss the mantra of the Heart Sutra. Prajna means wisdom, although as he is using it here, I think Han Shan is referring to Prajna-paramita or Transcendent Wisdom, which is wisdom that “goes beyond.”

Gate Gate paragate parasamgate Bodhi Svaha!

This is Sanskrit. Before the Mantra was taught, Prajna had been taught exoterically, and now it was expounded esoterically. Here there is no room for thinking and interpreting, but the silent repetition of the Mantra which ensures speedy efficacy made possible by the inconceivable power through the discarding of all feeling and elimination of interpretation. This Prajna which makes possible this speedy achievement is the light of the heart which every man possesses, and is realized by all Buddhas for their supernatural powers and wonderful deeds. Living beings, who are deluded about it, use it for creating trouble (klesa) by their wrong thinking.

Although the use it daily, they are not aware of it. Thus ignorant of their own fundamental reality, they go on enduring uselessly all kinds of suffering. Is it not a pity? If they can be instantaneously awakened to their own selves, they will immediately turn the light inwards on themselves. In a moment’s thought, by means of their accordant self-cultivation, all barriers of feeling in the world (samsara) will be broken as the light of a lamp illumines a room where darkness has existed for a thousand years. Therefore, there is no need to have recourse to any other method.

If in our determination to get out of Samsara we do not use Prajna, there will be no other means. For this reason, it is said that in the middle of the oceans of sufferings, Prajna is the ferry and in the darkness of ignorance, Prajna is the light.

Worldly men are treading a dangerous path and are drifting about in bitter ocean but they are still not willing to look for Prajna. Really, their intentions cannot be guessed. Prajna is like a sharp sword that cuts all things which touch it so sharply that they do not know they are cut. Who but sages and saints can make use of it? Certainly not the ignorant.